USAID improves livelihood opportunities for local farmers in Papua New Guinea
Success Stories August 17, 2022
June 2022 – Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) forests form part of the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest, which is home to unparalleled biodiversity. However, this biodiversity is under threat as PNG develops and places increased pressure on the country’s natural resources. Many people living in rural and remote communities throughout PNG depend on forest resources for their livelihoods, well-being, and community integrity but without other livelihood opportunities, these communities are more likely to overuse natural resources to meet current needs at the risk of future generations.
For people in rural PNG, it is not easy improve livelihood prospects. Many face barriers like poor understanding of basic financial literacy, access to financial capital to grow alternative livelihood activities, and access to markets to sell goods and services.
In the Eastern Highlands Province, on the outskirts of Goroka town, is the small village of Upegu Two. Apart from one road, people in this village have limited or no access to government services like electricity, running water, and sanitation.
Despite these limitations, Damien Paul, a local farmer in the village, is pursuing a unique livelihood in his community and perhaps in all of PNG – Damien is growing grapes. He has approximately 1500 grape plants on his two-hectare farm that he has grown organically, without the use of pesticides.
However, to successfully run a business, Damien needs a basic understanding of his finances. Through USAID’s PNG Lukautim Graun Program (LGP), Damien completed a financial literacy course and is now a certified financial literacy trainer able to teach others in his community the basics of financial literacy, such as how to save money, budget household finances, and access online digital finance. These skills are foundational for creating new enterprises and increasing household and personal financial security. Damien has started mobilizing people in his community to participate in a financial literacy training he intends to conduct in the coming months.
“Thank you, USAID, for this financial literacy training. This training has helped build my confidence to improve my small business. Now I have the knowledge to teach others in my village and to help them improve their livelihoods,” said Damien Paul.
Following the financial literacy training, LGP helped facilitate market access for Damien to sell his produce to the Bird of Paradise Hotel. Damien has sold about 20 kilograms of grapes to the Bird of Paradise Hotel in just a few deliveries, which would normally take him the equivalent of three to four days to sell at the local town market. The Bird of Paradise Hotel is part of a larger nationwide chain of hotels called the Coral Sea Hotels. The management at the Coral Sea Hotels is currently exploring options for Damien and his community to supply other hotels in their network and help him expand the range of produce to include other vegetables, fruit, herbs, and spices. Damien is eager to involve other members of his community so that they too can benefit, including a women’s farmers collective group called ‘Upegu Two Korkane Women in Organic Farming’, that he help establish to join him in supplying fruit and vegetables to the Coral Sea Hotels.
The economic empowerment of people in rural and remote communities in PNG decreases their reliance on natural resources and reduces threats to the country’s rich biodiversity. With support from USAID and the American people, LGP is introducing new skills and opportunities to communities to avoid negative impacts now and in the future. Led by Cardno International Development – a DT Global Company, LGP works in partnership with the PNG Government, private-sector organizations, and civil society groups, and local communities.
